SAN ANTONIO (March 27, 2019) — The Climate Action and Adaptation Plan will extend its timeline to allow for additional revisions and public comment. City Council is expected to consider the plan this fall.

“Action and adaptation to a changing climate is too important not to get it right, and we are taking the time needed to craft a consensus document that achieves our climate goals, accounts for all perspectives and charts a course for the future,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.

The CAAP includes strategies for reducing San Antonio’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that lead to a warming climate, and serves as a pathway to meet the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement, which City Council supported with a resolution on June 22, 2017.

“It's great that the draft plan is stirring a robust and much-needed dialogue regarding San Antonio's vulnerabilities and opportunities in the face of a changing climate,” District 7 City Councilwoman Ana Sandoval said. “I look forward to communicating with the business community and the community at-large to hear their concerns and work with them to ensure that we end up with a plan that both improves quality of life and positions San Antonio as a leading job center in the new clean tech economy.”

Additional public comment and stakeholder outreach will occur through April 25. A revised plan is scheduled for release to the public on May 30. The draft version of the plan generated a large amount of public comment, which will be reviewed and considered during the revision process.

“Involvement from the community is critical to creating a pathway for San Antonio to adapt to a changing climate and remain a healthy, vibrant place for generations to come,” Chief Sustainability Officer Doug Melnick said. “We look forward to continuing our stakeholder engagement while making revisions and clarifying the plan.”

While a significant amount of community feedback will be reflected in the plan, the goals and policy framework will remain intact. Over the next few weeks, material will be released on saclimateready.org that documents comments received to-date and a high-level summary of revisions and additions to be made. Updates will include:

Condensing language to increase readability

Clarifying the intent of the equity framework

Adjusting and clarifying strategies based on feedback

Including the business case of action

Identifying barriers or challenges associated with strategies

Identifying strategies that are a part of current City plans

Detailed explanation for plan implementation and governance

Public engagement summary

The revised plan will undergo a review period this summer, followed by an approval process leading to City Council consideration. City Council adoption of the plan would not trigger regulations. Each strategy will be evaluated and reviewed through its own processes.